The Kurzweil sound still lives on. The accoustic pianos sound authentic, the Take 6 vocals are outstanding, plus great strings, percussion, etc. The brasses are usable, reeds and horns OK, but the organs are weak, and the rotary simulation is lame at best.....then again I also own a Nord Electro 2, so I have the Hammond/Leslie sound nailed.

The keyboard has a nice feel even though it's not weighted. The control panel is clear and well laid out. Mod and Pitch wheels feel right. You even get a simulated piano sustain pedal, not a square switchbox.....nice touch.

Voice selection is simple: two or three button presses get you to any sound in the board. Storing user presets is easy, but modifying them takes some getting used to. I still haven't figured out how to store volume changes for each patch, but I'm reasonably sure it's in there.

No rattles, no loose pots or switches, everything works. Power supply has a nice long cord. The endcaps have ridges underneath to make it easy to grip when setting up or taking down. Weight is about 22 lbs., so transport is no problem. The display is straightforward and easy to read. Powering up looks like a pinball machine; LED's galore, but it's all good.

For it's intended use I would say this board is a great value. I know that Kurzweil is attempting to restructure and you can't find this board in any store near North Jersey, so I took a chance and ordered it without ever playing it first. I'm not disappointed - it's everything I thought it would be.

Hope I never need it. You do have to mail back the warranty card - no online registration.

If you're looking for a sample playback machine that sounds great, looks good, and is easy on the back and wallet the PC161 is worth considering. It's easy to get great sounds, you can run it in mono if you only have a keyboard amp, and the effects are rich and full sounding and compliment the patches well.

Active professional musician and educator.

Traditional Mainstream Jazz.